Windmill.



3 Sheets-Sheet-2.

WINDMILLL News. n. c,

m n. a, I.. d 8 .1. n 8 t a D H T u .Dn Dn A C `M J. & B n A H E 2. 5 o 6 6 6 0. N

(Application filed Aug. 2B, 1900,)

(No Model.)

1n: wams PETERS co.. PHofo-urno., msm

No. 666,052. Patented lan. I5, |901. E. HARRIS & J. M. GABRUTH.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

WI N D M l L L (Application led Aug. 28, 1900.)

(No Model.)

lll. 747.

UNrTED STATES PATENT @Erica EDWIN HARRIS, oE PINE cRovE, AND JAMES M. cARRUTH, 0F BERRY- VILLE, TEXAS.

WINDMILL.

SFECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 666,052, dated January 15, 1901.

Application filed August 28, 1900. Serial No. 28,325. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that we, EDWIN HARRIS, residingatPine Grove, and JAMES M. CARRUTH, residing at Berryville, in the county 0f Henderson and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Windmill, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in windmills.

One object of the present invention is to improve the construction of windmills and to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive one which will be unaffected by the change in the direction of the wind and which will be adapted to have the wind-wheel supported upon the ground, so that the tower will be subjected only to the strain resulting from the wind. v Another object of the invention .is to provide a windmill of this character adapted to be readily operated to change the direction of its rotation and to throw it out of operation and capable of being readily constructed to obtain the desired power and of transmitting the same to the base of the' tower directly to reduce the friction to a minimum.

The invention consists in the construction; and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspectiver View of a windmill constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the upper portion thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan view. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a windmill, illustrating a modiication of the invention. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View of the same. Fig. 6 isa detail View illustrating the construction of the vertically-movable operating-rod when the power for actuating it is applied to its lower end. Fig. 7 is a detail View illustrating the preferred arrangement of the cushioning-springs.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

l designates a vertical wind-wheel shaft designed to extend to the base of a tower 2, so that the weight of the wind-wheel shaft and the'wind-wheel, hereinafter described, may

be Supported upon the ground to relieve the tower 2 of such weight andto enable the same to be constructed mainly for resisting the strains incident to the force of the wind. The tower may be constructed in any suitable manner, and it is provided at its top with a suitable bearing for a collar 3 of the shaft l, which extends above the top` of the tower, as clearly shown in Fig. l. Theupper portion of the wind-wheelshaft, which is preferably hollow, is provided with openings through which pass guards which form the supporting arms or spokes 4 of the wind-wheel, and the bars which constitute the spokes 4 and which form a wheel-frame are arranged at right angles to each other and are centrally connected, as Shown in Fig. 2; but the number of the arms or spokes may be varied and the arms may be connected with the vertical shaft in any other suitable manner. The c01- lar 3 is arranged to support the arms, and the latter are provided at their upper edges with bearings 5 and are supported by suitable guyrods or braces 6, extending from the said arms, at points between the ends thereof, to the upper end of the vertical shaft l.

Within the bearings 5 are arranged shafts 7, disposed horizontally and extending longitudinally of the arms and adapted to be rocked by the means hereinafter described to arrange pintles 8 of theirouter ends, either vertically or horizontally, and to rotate feathering-blades 9 one-half a revolution to change their position with relation to the arms of the Wind-wheel to reverse the same. The pintles 8, which are rigid with the rock-shafts 7, are arranged in suitable eyes l0 of the blades 9 and are located at points between the centers of the blades and one end, so that a greater portion of the blades will be lo cated at the back to produce the proper feathering ation and to cause a positive operation of the blades. The eyes 10, which receive the ends of the pintles, may be constructed in any suitable manner; but they preferably consist of perforated portions of L-shaped plates secured to the blades, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The rock-shafts 7 are provided at their inner ends with pinions ll, meshing with vertically-movable rack-bars 12, which extend through suitable guide-openings 13 of the {tui-n when subjected to the full force of the collar 3 of the vertical shaft 1, and the lower ends of the entire series of rack-bars are connected with a bar 14 by a coupling 15, consisting of an upper ring or plate 16 and a lower sliding collar 17. The upper ring or plate 16, which rotates with the shaft l, is interlocked with the same, preferably by means of a lug 18, engaging a slot 19, and the sliding sleeve 17, which is held against rotation, is vprovided at its upper end with a horizontal supporting-flange 20 and has aseries of hookshaped lug 21 engaging over the upper ring or plate 16. By this construction the upper section of the coupling is permitted to rotate on `the lower section or sleeve 17. The slot 1'9, which receives the lug 18, limits the movement of the coupling, and the lowersection or sleeve of the latter is connected with a horizontal guide-bar 22, Vextending across the tower and having its ends arranged in vertical guides 23. The guides 23 consist of `a pair of vertical or substantially vertical bars located at each side vof the'tower and spaced apart to form a vertical opening for the lends of the sliding bar 22. The connecting-bar 14, which extends to the base of the tower, has its lower end pivoted to an operating-lever 24, carrying a suitable detent lor pawl for engaging a curved ratchet 25, whereby rthe blades are locked latthe'desired adjustment to cause the wind-Wheel to rotate in the proper direction and also to throw the windmill out of operation.

ing the direction of the motion if it 'traveled in one directiononly. When the blades'are squarely operated on by the wind, the latter will carry the longer portions of the blades against the arms of the wind-wheel, and it will be apparent that as the blades during the .operation ot the windmill are adaptedjto swing horizontally on vertical pivots or lpintles they will feather automatically andrpr'esent a maximum surface to the Wind when vthey arein l'a position to be actuated bythe wind to propel the wheel, and they vwill pre- "sent aminimum surface in coming into the wind and Will offer a minimum resistance and will not materially retard the wind-Wheel,

When the longer portion of the blade is arranged contiguous to the adjace'ntarm, it is :supported by a verticalrod 26, whichv relieves Lth'eloperative mechanism of `strain and pireventsany liability 'of the blade to 'twister wind. The blades are arranged vertically or with their major diameters in a vertical plane when it is desired to stop the windmill, and the pintles or pivots will then be horizontal, and the .said blades will be adapted to swing in either direction t0 practically a horizontal position to prevent them from beingstrained or injured by the wind, and they are provided at the ends of their longer sides with notches 27, adapted to receive and permit the blades to clear the lower portions of the vertical rods 26 when the lower or rear portions of the blades swing beneath the horizontal supporting-arrnsl ofthe wind-wheel. By this construction vthelonger or rear portions of the blades are prevented from striking and injuring the vertical rods o'r supports 26.

In order to 'prevent the blades from being injured or 'in any manner injuring the arms 4, the vblades are provided with upper and lower springs 28, arranged in pairs, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The springs are arranged One'above the other-,and one of them isiadapted to engage the arm 4 when the blades are in Vleither of their horizontal operative positions.

It is preferred, however, to arrange the springs as illustrated in Fig. 7, wherein they are spaced 'apart to clear the arms 4 when the lblades are arranged with. their pintles in a horizontal position to s top the Windmill. The armis provided at its outer end witha depending projecting 29,arranged to be engaged by the lower spring; but the relative positions of the springs and tl'ieproje'ction 29 vmay be changed. The rprojection 29 depends from the arm 4, and 'thelfow'er spring is located below the arrn and the upper one is arranged above the arm 4; but one of the springs will be lin position to'r engaging the projection lwhen -tlie blade is in either of itsvhoriz'o'ntal operative positions. The springs, which may 'befof 4any desired construction, are slightly IOO IIO

lcurved,'and :are arranged or set at an angle,

as fcl'early 'shown in Fig. '1, and they are adapted to cushion vthe blades as the latter turn on their pivots vrto 'assum'ea position in which they will be edgewise tothe 'Wind'after 'having been operated L'on `by the same. rlhe lfn'p'per leftfhand blade of Fig. 3'of the accompanyingdrawings is parallel with the Wind, 'and Lthe vlow'e'rleft-hand blade ,has its longer or'rear'portion arranged against the arm 4, which serves as a stop to limit the pivotal movement ofthe blade,and consequently the wind vacting on the face of the blade of the lower left-hand arm of Fig. 3 serves to actuate the Wind-wheel. The blade remains in this position, against the arm, until it passes the'pos'tion occupied by the lower'right-hand blade of Fig. 3, and when it passes beyond a position parallel with the wind the latter will operate onthe longer or rear portion and swingfthe same aroundthe endof thearm, as indicated inFig. 3, at the upper right-hand 'blade thereof. At this time the 'spring will serve as va cushion and relieve the 'blade and the other parts of thewind-wheel of strain and jar.

In Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings is illustrated a slight modification of the invention, in which the rack-bars 30 are connected at their upper ends by horizontal arms 3l with the upper terminal of a vertically-movable rod 32, extending through the hollow shaft and adapted to be raised and lowered to rotate the rock-shaft for changing the position of the blades ot' the wind-wheel. The arms 3l extend over the upper end of the hollow wind-wheel shaft, and the verticallymovable rod 32 may be connected with the mechanism for actuating it at a point between its ends or at its lower end. The mechanism for actuating the rod 32 is designed to be connected with a transverse piece 33,which may extend to a slot 34 of the vertical shaft 35 at a point between the ends thereof, or a similar piece 3G may be arranged at the lower end of the rod, as shown in Fig. 6.

In addition to cushioning the blades the springs 28 and 28 are designed to support the blades in the proper angular position with respect to the wind when the latter is acting against the inner sides of the blades, asindicated in Fig. 7 of the drawings, so as to force the wheel forward and prevent the blades from being blown flat against the arms of the wheel.

The arrangement of the springs 28 in Fig. 7 has been provided to facilitate the moving of one of the blades into its operative position when it bears a certain relation to the wind. For instance, suppose the blade 9 (shown in Fig. 2) is upon the leeward side of the wheel and in its inoperative position and the wind is strong enough to lift the lower and longer portion of the blade, and thereby bring the upper portion thereof down upon the arm 4C, with the spaced springs 28 at opposite sides of the arm and out of engagement therewith. The shaft 7 is then turned to throw the blade into its operative position, with the springs upon the top and bottom sides of the arm, respectively. The upper spring will not be in engagement with the arm; but the back of the lower spring will bear against the adjacent side of the stop projection 29, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 7. As the longer end of the blade is swung around upon its pintle by the wind the free end of the spring will be drawn across the stop projection until it snaps by the latter and assumes its proper position, with its convex side in engagement with the opposite edge of the stop projection, thereby cushioning the blade and also maintaining it in its proper angular relation to the adjacent arm and the direction of the wind, so as to force the wheel to turn forwardly.

The essential difference between the springs 28L and 28 is that the former spring inclines inwardly or toward the pintle of the blade, while the latter inclines outwardly and away from the pintle. Also the springs 28are spaced nearer the pintle 8 than is the stop projection 29, while the free end of the spring is farther away from the pintle than is the projection, so that the free end of the spring may bear against the stop.

What is claimed isl. Ina device of the class described, the combination with a wheel-frame, 'of a horizontal rock-shaft, a blade hinged to the rockshaft at a point between its'ends on a normally vertical pivot and arranged to swing normally horizontally to feather, and adapted to engage the said support., and means for rotating the rock-shaft, whereby the blade is reversed to change the direction of the wheel, or is arranged in a vertical position to stop the wheel, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a wheel provided with normally horizontally swinging blades hinged on a normally vertical pivot lbetween their ends at a point between the center and one end, and means for rotating the blades to reverse them for changing the direction of the wheel and to arrange them vertically to stop the wheel, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a wheel provided with a normally horizontally swinging blade hinged between its ends and having its rear portion ofV greater length than its front portion, means for rotating the blade to reverse it and also to arrange it vertically, and a cushioningspring carried by the front portion. of the blade, substantially as described.

et. In a device of the class described, the combination of a wheel provided with a normally horizontally swinging blade hinged between its ends, means for rotating the blade to reverse it, and also to arrange it vertically to stop the wheel, anda pair of springs carried by the blade and spaced apart, whereby a spring will be in position for engaging the' body portion of the wheel when the blade is in either of its horizonaal operative positions, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a suitable support, a normally horizontally swinging blade hinged between its ends, means for rotating the blade to reverse it and to arrange it vertically, a projection carried by the support, and a pair of springs spaced apart and mounted on the blade andv adapted to clear the support when the blade swings vertically, and arranged to engage the projection when the blade isin either of its horizontal operative positions, substantially as described.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a wheel having horizontal arms, rock-shafts journaled on the arms and extending longitudinally thereof, the normally horizontally swinging blades hinged betweentheir ends to the outer ends of the lOO IIO

rock-'shafts'v or normally vertical pivots, pinions mounted on the rock-shafts, rack-bars meshing With the pinions, and-means for reciprocating the rack-bars, whereby the blades are rotated to reverse them and to arrange them vertically, substantially as described.

7. In a device of the class described, the

-combination with ra tower, ofa vertical windwheel shaft extending to the base of the tower, horizontal arms arranged at the upper portion of the wind-wheel shaft, rock-shafts extending longitudinally of the arms, blades hinged on normally vertical pivots to the outer ends of the rock-shafts and arranged to swing normally horizontally to operate the wheel, pinions arranged at the inner ends of the rock-shafts, vertically-movable rack-bars meshing with the pinions, a coupling composed of upper and lower sections forming a swivel connection, the upper section being adapted to rotate with `the shaft and connected with the rackV` bars, and operating mechanism connected with the lower section, substantially as described.

8,. In a device of the class described, the combination of a tower provided at opposite sides with vertical guides, a vertical Windwheel shaft, arms extending from the shaft, rock-shafts arranged longitudinally of and supported by the arms, blades hinged to the outer ends of the rock-shafts on normally vertical pivots, a'couplin g composed ot' upper and lower sections, gearing connected with the upper section of the'coupling for rotating the rock-shafts, a sliding bar arranged in the guides of the tower and connected with the lower section of the coupling, and operating mechanism connected with the coupling, substantially as described.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of a horizontal support, a series of radially -arranged rock-shafts disposed horizontally and provided at their outer ends with vertical pintles, blades hinged between their ends to the vertical pintles and arranged to swing normally horizontally, and means for operating the rock-shafts to arrange the pintles in a vertical or in a horizontal position, su bstantially as described.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination of a support, a vertical rod mounted on the support, a horizontallyswing ing blade hinged between its ends and arranged to engage the rod and provided at one end with a recess, and means for rotating the blade to reverse the same and also to arrange the blade in a vertical position, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN HARRIS. 'JAMES M. OARRUTH. Witnesses:

D. B. MIzELL, GEO. R. MCNAIR.

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